Making a Pitch on the Fly

01/12/2004

"One hour with a child is like a ten-mile run." - Joan Benoit Samuelson

MAKING A PITCH ON THE FLY
In her article, "Getting Grant Money: How to Connect," in the January 2004 issue of Child Care Information Exchange, Lynelle Herzer suggests that if you are seeking grant money for your organization, you should always be prepared to discuss your project...

"You never know when you may get a spontaneous opportunity to talk with an individual involved in making funding decisions. They may happen to answer the phone or you may run into them on an elevator or on an airplane. Prepare and practice a 30-second speech. Think of it as an 'advertisement' -- you want to connect, capture their intrigue, and be remembered. Touch on their interest, your project, and its value. 'I understand you are concerned with X. I am doing Y. We are helping Z currently and would like to reach more kids. What are your thoughts on this? Who else do you recommend I speak with? Would it be okay if I sent you a proposal?' If a door opens, follow-up quickly and professionally in writing or by phone."

Herzer has prepared a fundraising kit on our web site which outlines how to find potential funders and how to write a successful proposal (incuding a detailed proposal outline). You can access this kit for free at: http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/0089

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.